


Schwanger

by Diglossia



Series: Schwanger [1]
Category: Panik
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-22
Updated: 2010-01-21
Packaged: 2017-10-06 13:22:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diglossia/pseuds/Diglossia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pregnancy hits the band. Warning: Mpreg.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Schwanger

Linke stared at Jan in complete disbelief. The boy had to be joking; there was no way he honestly thought what he was saying had a grain of truth in it. Goddamit, Jan was _smart_. He wasn't some _Realschule_ drop out, he was a legitimate genius when it came to chemistry and physics. So why was Jan telling him something so preposterous?

"You. Think. Juri's. Pregnant," Linke repeated, frowning at Jan in a way that had the short blonde cringing in place and shoving his hands into his pockets. Linke closed his eyes and pinched himself, hoping when his eyes opened again, Jan would be gone. He wasn't.

"Jan?" Linke asked, closing his eyes again and rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah?"

"Are you on _crack_?" Linke thundered, grabbing Jan by the shoulders and staring him in the eyes. "One: Juri is a guy; two: Juri has no ovaries and therefore cannot ovulate; and three: why the hell would Juri be the pregnant one and not you?!"

Jan whimpered and looked at the floor.

"I don't have an answer, okay?" he said, his bottom lip pulling down tightly at the sides. "But he's been feeling weird and we were going to go to see a doctor until Timo said something and now we think he's pregnant."

Linke did something he rarely ever did: he walloped Jan upside the head.

"Are you fucking _retarded_?!" he yelled as Jan clutched his left ear and whimpered. "Males can't get fucking pregnant. It's not possible unless you're a hermaphrodite, who are sterile anyhow, and Juri sure as hell isn't a hermaphrodite unless you and him have been holding out on us and I'm pretty sure you haven't. And why the hell are you listening to Timo?! Did he tell you Juri's pregnant cause if he did I'm going to find that idiot and throw a book at him cause this is ridiculous, Jan! I mean, come on!"

Jan whimpered and cowered under Linke's angry rant. Linke's chest heaved up and down as he stared down at Jan furiously.

"We bought a pregnancy test," Jan mumbled, unable to look at Linke.

Linke's brow furrowed.

"What?" he asked, his rage calming slightly as a growing bewilderment took his place.

"We bought a pregnancy test," Jan repeated, toying with his lip. "And Juri took it and it came out positive."

Linke was silent for a minute as he considered his options. He could either slap Jan and go find Timo to yell at him for managing to brainwash Jan into believing this pregnancy mumbo-jumbo or he could listen to the cracked idea Jan was about to spout out. Linke mentally kicked himself and decided he had caused enough violence for one day.

"You can't always trust those things, Jan. They only work with female urine because of the progesterone and estrogen that enters the urinary tract during pregnancy. It's not possible for a pregnancy test to function using male urine."

Jan looked at Linke like he was the stupid one.

"I had no idea," he said sarcastically, folding his arms over his chest and leaning against the kitchen wall. "I was positive it'd work for Juri, because he's actually a girl at heart. No, Chris," Jan said, changing to his regular voice. "I didn't just get him a pregnancy test out of the blue. Juri's had some symptoms lately that got both of us worried and so we decided to check in the only way we could. He took three tests over two days and all of them came out positive. Now, before you say anything-" Jan glared up at Linke. "David's been going through some changes, too, and that's why I listened to Timo when he said he thought that Juri's going through the same thing David is."

"Timo thinks David is pregnant," Linke said skeptically.

Jan nodded.

"This is not fucking possible," Linke groaned, going to the kitchen table and pulling a chair out. He sat down in it, spreading his legs wide and putting his face in his hands.

"I didn't believe it either at first," Jan offered.

Linke groaned.

"But it kinda makes sense, when you think about it-"

Linke looked up, a cold scowl across his face.

"Shut up, Jan. Just fucking shut up." Jan looked puzzled. "This is some kind of mind game bullshit you and Timo made up, right?" Linke said, his eyes filled with annoyance and barely contained anger. "You two thought it'd be funny to sell me this inane trash?!"

Jan glared right back.

"Oh, yeah, that's exactly what I'm trying to do, Chris. I let you hit me because Timo's going to give me twenty Euro later if you actually believe me because we would so do that."

"You would," Linke muttered.

"Fuck you, Chris," Jan said, pursing his lips. "I come to you with a problem, asking for your help, and you act like this? Just- fuck you."

Jan turned around and walked into the living room and then up the stairs. Linke heard the door slam. He rolled his eyes. Jan thought he was such a good liar, acting all defensive. Linke knew he was just covering his ass after he had failed.

Linke would rub it in little Jan's face later. Juri pregnant? What bullshit.

ØØØ

Timo woke David early and coerced him out of bed in time to make their nine o'clock appointment at the doctor's office. David was barely awake by the time Timo shunted him into Jan's car, Juri and Jan already up and ready to go. No one spoke as Jan drove. The situation was so awkward and unbelievable, made doubly so by the fact that the four of them were more than positive that not only David, but Juri as well, was honestly with child.

Timo was certain the doctor would be _so_ pleased to see them. He was not looking forward to presenting David to a skeptical medical examiner and explaining that his _boyfriend_ was pregnant. Timo had not mentioned over the phone that David was anything other than a woman. God but he hoped this was some weird flu that David had caught and passed on to Juri. Though how _Juri_ of all people would catch a cold from _David_ confused Timo to no end.

"Timo?" David whispered as Jan parked the car. "Will you hold my hand?"

Timo smiled. There was one upside to this situation: David had suddenly decided he needed to touch Timo at all possible times.

Timo got out of the car and took David's hand, helping his lover out. David gave him a small smile as Timo kissed David's cheek and hugged him tightly.

ØØØ

"Mr. Bonk, I am happy to inform you that you are, indeed, in your first trimester of pregnancy," the doctor said, clicking his pen as he scribbled something down on the pad before him. "I'm going to recommend you visit an OBGYN. We have several in the area- I would recommend Dr. Neunaber or Dr. Schmeidt, both of whom have practiced for over thirty years in their profession- who will be happy to assist you. If you have any questions, please contact me at this number-" he scribbled down a number and a name on a piece of prescription paper and handed it to David, who seemed to have swallowed his tongue. "Now, my assistant will escort you out to the waiting area where you can finish signing a few forms."

Timo gaped at the doctor who was too busy putting his pen into his lab coat pocket to pay attention to his patient.

"Wait a minute," Timo snapped. "You wanna give us an explanation, y'know, about how the hell this is even happening?!"

The doctor blinked and adjusted his glasses on his nose.

"I would assume the way any couple becomes pregnant," he said emotionlessly. "You and your partner engaged in unprotected sexual acts and in so doing released sperm into Mr. Bonk's body where a spermatozoon reached a haploid female reproductive cell, an ovum, and then they combined to create a zygote, thus causing impregnation within Mr. Bonk's uterine lining."

The nurse in pink scrubs standing behind the doctor snorted a laugh and quickly hid her grin behind her hand. The doctor seemed not to notice. He glanced down at the beeper attached to his belt and excused himself.

Timo flipped him off as he left. The nurse giggled.

"This isn't fucking funny," Timo growled, wrapping an arm around David and tucking his lover into his side.

"Au contraire," she said, giggling some more. "This is very funny. Doctor Steinweg is exhausted. He's been here since three in the morning and then you come in and he's too tired to help you."

David cocked his head at the nurse.

"Can you explain it to us, then?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, no," she said contritely. "There is no real explanation. You must have functioning ovaries or a uterus within you because that _is_ the only way a human can become pregnant but as to how or why you, a genetic and physical male, became pregnant, I have no answer."

"Has this happened before?" Timo asked.

She scrunched her face up.

"Outside of you and the other couple here today, I don't think so. There was that one American guy last year but he was born a woman and you weren't. I'm sorry; it's a medical mystery."

"Great," Timo muttered.

Juri and Jan seemed equally confused and unhappy when they walked back to the waiting room.

"You preggers?" Timo quipped.

Juri nodded and plopped down in the seat across from them, putting a hand over his face. Jan collected the stack of forms from the nurse at the front desk and sat down next to Juri.

"How exactly do you plan on breaking the news to Linke and Frank?" David asked quietly. "I can't think of anything to say."

"When Linke fucking figures out he's fucking fucked, too, then I'll fucking talk to him," Jan muttered into his forms. He was still pissed at the bassist for snapping on him. Timo did not blame him: all the DJ had tried to do was hint that Linke might be pregnant, too. David had mentioned the possibility to Timo more than a few times after he had noticed that Linke had been behaving strangely for a few weeks.

"We have to tell them," Timo said. "Tonight."

ØØØ

Linke sucked in a harsh breath that made Frank look up. He frowned when he saw Linke clutching his chest in pain. Frank scrambled to his feet and tugged Linke to the couch in the practice room. Linke hissed as he lay back, putting his head in Frank's lap.

"What's wrong?" Frank asked, running his hands through Linke's black hair.

Linke winced and touched himself gingerly over his pecs.

"I think I sprained a muscle somehow. My chest hurts like holy hell," he said, sitting up and wincing even more. "It's really hot. Feel," Linke commanded, taking Frank's hand and pressing it to his chest, flinching when Frank pressed against the hot, swollen flesh.

"You're right. Let's go get you an ice pack," Frank said, getting to his feet.

They went to the kitchen. Linke leaned against the sink as Frank filled a plastic bag with ice. Linke pressed it to his chest and grimaced in pain.

"Can I hug you?" Frank asked.

Their relationship was always rocky and confusing for Frank. At this point, they weren't actually sharing a bed and were basically friends with benefits because Linke had not been feeling like having sex for a while, which was fairly normal for them. One week, Frank would have Linke in his arms, singing him to sleep, and two weeks later they would be barely saying hello when they passed each other on the way to the shower. Linke was in control of every moment, it seemed, and Frank never knew when he would be allowed to touch his sometimes lover.

Linke nodded this time, though, and let Frank wind his arms around Linke from the back. Frank pressed his face into Linke's bony shoulder blades, reveling in the close feel of his Chris. Frank slipped his arms lower around Linke as Linke relaxed into him and paused, confused.

Linke's stomach was hard, really, really hard. Frank moved his hand over the area again and peered up at Linke, who had bit his lip, his eyes downcast.

Frank frowned and pulled Linke's loose shirt up. He studied the taut swell of skin above Linke's hips in surprise.

"Chris…?"

"I don't know, alright?" Linke snapped, pulling his shirt back down irritably. "Maybe I'm getting fat! What's it to you?"

Frank backpedaled mentally. Something was obviously up and had been for awhile considering the way Linke was acting. First his chest hurting, now his stomach lined with the beginning of stretch marks…Frank was not sure what was going on but he wasn't going to let Chris suffer by himself.

"You're not fat, Chris," Frank said, glancing up at his friend with a soft smile that he knew would make Linke melt.

"You're not fat," he repeated, wrapping his hand around Linke's wrist and taking a step forward.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Linke said, his eyes full of confusion and unhappiness.

"We'll figure it out," Frank said before he kissed Linke on the lips, pressing hard enough to let Linke know that Frank still wanted him. Linke moaned and kissed Frank back, his hand cupping Frank's jaw as their kissing became hotter and filled with needy desire for one another.

Frank hadn't kissed Linke in almost three weeks and he could not deny that he'd missed Linke badly, had wanted him more than he'd ever wanted anyone, and had been forced to stay back and watch his handsome bassist from afar. Now Chris was pressing him back into the side of the refrigerator and Frank was pulling him down further into the kiss, his leg wrapping around Chris' as he tried desperately to share skin with the man, their mouths fusing with wondrous heat and their groins rubbing together in a way that sent sparks through Frank's nervous system.

Linke pulled their lips apart to attack Frank's neck, sucking and biting a light trail down the sensitive skin under Frank's ear.

"God, I missed you," Frank moaned as he tugged at Linke's hair.

Linke snickered and sucked on Frank's neck possessively. Frank gasped as the pressure on his neck sent all the right messages to his already hard cock. He gasped again when Linke's talented fingers worked themselves under his pants to grasp his cock and stroke it with delicate firmness.

Frank tried not to squirm too much. He didn't want to brush against Linke's chest and hurt him when he was already in pain but he had been so strung out without his Chris and the feel of Chris against him was driving Frank over the edge fast. All the masturbation in the world could not compare to sex with one Christian Linke.

Linke's fingernail snatched across Frank's slit and he cried out, bucking into Linke's hand as wetness spurted from him. Linke hissed a soft cry and bit down on Frank's neck, coming as well.

"S-sorry," Frank gasped into Linke's hair.

Linke smiled cockily and pulled his hand out of Frank's jeans. Frank watched him lick the white come from his fingers, sucking on each individual one. Frank panted for a moment as he watched fixedly. Then he grabbed Linke and kissed him like his life depended on it, pouring his built up need and love into that one kiss, too relieved to have Linke in his arms again to be ashamed of the depth of his feelings.

Linke's knees gave out and they slid down to the floor, Linke cuddled into Frank's lap. Frank took care to keep his hands low around Linke's hips so he would not hurt his precious lover, and felt delighted when Linke sighed happily and closed his eyes, falling into a light doze quickly. Frank rarely fell asleep after an orgasm and he was not surprised to be wide awake this time. He stroked Linke's sweat-streaked hair as his lover slept, marveling at how beautiful Linke was.

Frank looked up when he heard the front door open. He sighed as he heard four pairs of feet stamp inside and shook Linke gently. Linke grunted softly and opened his eyes, looking up at Frank from under his dark lashes. Frank smiled and started to stand up, taking a very disheveled Linke with him.

Juri walked into the kitchen in time to see Frank leaning against the refrigerator rubbing his thighs and Linke leaning into him, squinting his eyes at the bright lights of the kitchen.

"Jan's mad at you," he offered as he grabbed a carton of grape juice out of the refrigerator.

"I know," Linke grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Can you tell him I'm sorry?"

"Considering he was right and you were wrong, it'd probably be better if you told him," Juri said and took a long swallow straight from the carton.

Linke's mouth fell open.

"You're not serious," he said. "You're…?"

"Yep," Juri said, looking bored. "The doctors confirmed it. Me and David."

"You're fucking kidding me," Linke said, collapsing into one of the kitchen chairs. "This isn't possible."

Franky looked from Juri to Linke in utter bewilderment.

"Uh, guys, what's going on?" he asked.

Juri smiled ferally.

"Why don't you ask Chris, since you're screwing him anyway?" Juri said, twisting the top back on the carton and sticking it back in the fridge.

Linke hissed.

"Don't take out your anger on Frank," he snarled. "Because you got shit for luck. It's not his fault."

"I'm not taking anything out on Frank, Chris. It's you I've got a problem with. You have no right to hurt Jan!"

"He was trying to feed me some fucking garbage about you and David-"

"That was completely true!" Juri bellowed.

"I didn't know that! How the hell was I supposed to know that you were- are- are-"

Juri's eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"Say it," he challenged. "Say it because you know it's true and you're in the same fucking situation, and instead of telling us and coming clean with what's happening to you, you've been hiding it and now we're all screwed together. So fucking say it, Chris, because Frank deserves to know."

Linke bit his lip and closed his eyes tightly. Juri glared at him and hollowed his cheeks fiercely.

"Say it."

Linke's nostrils flared in anger. He shook his head and glanced back at Frank. Frank's brows were knitted with worry and pain but even Linke could see underneath the love Frank held for him, the heated desire Frank had shown him an hour before only one part of a vast trove of deeper feelings.

"Say it," David said from the doorway where he leaned against Timo. "We know what you've been going through, Chris, and we'll be there for you no matter what your decision may be but Frank's part of this, too."

Linke glanced from Juri to David to Timo, and even little Jan where he stood uncertainly beside the wall, and shuddered. He turned back to look at Frank and found him already there, right behind him. Linke swallowed and took Frank's hand, looking up into his sweet blue eyes.

"I'm pregnant," he whispered.

ØØØ

Three Weeks Later

"Fucking hell, where the fuck is the fucking goddamn tea?" Linke snarled as he tore through the kitchen cabinets angrily.

"It's not in that one," Frank said mildly, padding along behind Linke in only his boxers and socks.

"You!" Linke snarled, glaring at Frank. "I am going to fucking kill you for impregnating me!"

Frank sighed and rubbed his forehead as Linke stormed through another mood swing. Twenty minutes before they had been curled up in bed together with Linke sniffling and weepy and now the bassist was on a murderous rampage for tea, of all things.

"It's in the other cabinet, Christian," Frank muttered, staying well away from Linke who scowled at him despite the distance.

"What other fucking cabinet?" Linke hissed, looking ready to rip the kitchen apart to find his tea bags.

Frank started the water boiling on the stove before he answered him.

"The one on your left."

Linke growled.

"I already fucking checked that accursed cabinet. The tea's not in there!"

Frank pressed his lips together and tried not to sigh. The day was starting out badly, indeed. He walked over to his lover, steering clear of Linke's actual body- good God, Chris would probably fall to pieces if he touched him right now- and grabbed the box of tea bags from the back.

"See?" he said, smiling reassuringly. "They're right here."

"They weren't there before," Linke grumbled.

He pecked Frank grudgingly on the forehead before snatching the box away and going to the table to sort through it. Franky rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide the smile that was threatening to break through. Chris in a snit amused him to death. Franky was certain that Linke would calm down soon enough and he would be able to coerce his disgruntled bassist into going back to bed for a while.

ØØØ

"Okay, so I have painkillers, heating pads, aspirin, extra pillows, water. I should go to the store, you need-"

"Timo," David said wearily but Timo wasn't listening.

"Baby blankets, bottles, clothes, socks, shoes, more diapers-"

"_Timo_."

"Pacifiers, baby wipes, baby powder, shampoo-"

"Timo!" David yelled.

"Huh?" Timo said blankly. "Did I forget something?"

"Yeah, _me_."

Timo's eyes went wide and he began to apologize profusely. He walked over to the chair David was sitting in and took David by the hand, kissing it as he looked up into David's blue eyes.

"Whatever you need me to do, I'm right here for you, Davii, you know that," Timo said, kissing David's hand again.

"Would you…hold me?" David asked, his voice small.

Timo's face broke into a brilliant smile. He scooted David off the chair and pulled his lover back down into his lap, winding warm arms around David. David sighed happily and laid his head against Timo's neck, laying his right hand on Timo's chest.

"We have six months to figure this out, Timo," David said, spinning small circles on Timo's chest. "We don't need to spend every second preparing. Can you, maybe, slow down? I feel like you're so far away, off in your own world and I'm not part of it."

"No, oh no, Davii, sweetheart. I'm right here, just like I've always been," Timo said, tucking a lock of David's tangled black hair behind his ear.

"Good," David whispered, kissing Timo on the cheek. "That's how it should be."

ØØØ

"You need anything?" Jan asked softly, running a hand through Juri's blonde hair. "Timo, Franky, and I are going to the store in a little while."

Juri smiled.

"I'm fine," he whispered. "My stomach hurts a little, though."

"You want me to rub it?" Jan asked.

Juri nodded.

Jan climbed onto the bed and settled down behind Juri, pulling his lover back against him. Juri's smile widened and he leaned back into Jan.

"I'm sorry I got you in this mess," Jan said as he kneaded Juri's stomach.

"It's okay," Juri murmured, his eyes closing with soft pleasure under Jan's touch. "I love you."

Jan kissed the top of Juri's head and wrapped his arms around Juri's shoulders.

"I love you, too," Jan whispered.

ØØØ

Frank and Jan stared at the list in Timo's hands. It was easily three pages long, all in Timo's illegible chicken scratch but to them, it might as well be the Holy Grail of shopping lists. Timo was the only one among them who had a decent knowledge of the things they would need to buy for three infants, though Frank was doubtful over the need for some of the clothes on Timo's master list. What could a baby possibly use mittens for?

Timo had looked at him funnily and had launched into a discussion about fingernail growth in newborns and how the baby could scratch herself (Timo was very confident David was going to have a girl) in the face by accident. Then the baby would cry and scream, and maybe even bleed and so on and so forth, Frank having tuned the rapper out as Jan commandeered the list from Timo and attempted to decipher its contents.

The store attendants had been helpful, however, and the three weren't completely lost in the massive department store they had chosen to begin with. They women helping them had cooed over the pacifiers and strollers and all the assorted baby stuff they apparently _needed_ to have. Franky had nodded so many times at the ladies in bewildered agreement that Timo remarked snidely that he looked like a bobble-head doll. Jan had flat out refused to buy designer baby clothes, insisting that Juri would smack him if he ended up with Baby Phat or Ecko brand, both of which Timo was absolutely besotted with.

They emerged from the department store three hours later, after many, many trips back to Jan's van, loaded with baby products and more gossip about the Turkish girls working in the men's department than anyone had sense to have. After saying their goodbyes to Birgit, Anke, Julia, and Katarine, the three musicians headed home.

ØØØ

David tried not to smile too hard as Timo ecstatically showed him all of the things he, Jan, and Frank had amassed in their afternoon of shopping. David loved seeing Timo so excited, his bright smile taking over and lighting his whole face up. Timo went through bibs and booties and all manner of things David could not think of a use for, asking David what he thought of this swatch of cloth or that bottle.

"You're the best," David said, kissing Timo's cheek.

He was caught unawares when Timo twisted around and grabbed him by the waist, flipping David over his shoulder. David squawked and protested without much success as Timo carried him up to his bedroom.

"Timo, what?" David asked.

Timo grinned and lay David on his narrow bed. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the floor before climbing onto the bed and tackling David into the pillows. David laughed and hit Timo on the head, giggling uncontrollably when Timo began to tickle him. David shrieked a laugh and Timo kissed him, catching David's breath in his mouth. David moaned, wrapping his hands over the harsh scruff of Timo's hair as Timo kissed him harder.

Timo undid the button of David's fly and pulled the zip down, revealing tented boxers. Timo smiled and shimmied David's drawers down. He licked the head of David's hard cock, then swallowed David as far as he could. David's eyes fluttered closed. His fingers twisted in Timo's short hair as he begged Timo for more of the sweet, sweet pressure around his aching cock. Timo's lips quirked up at the needy sound of David begging but he kept his lips tight around David and hummed steadily, making David gasp and arch his back. Warm, salty wetness flooded Timo's mouth and he gulped it down swiftly, not wanting the taste to linger.

Timo pulled away with a loud pop and climbed up next to David, pressing a soft kiss to David's lips. David panted, smiling at his best friend for a long moment before he regained his breath. David's smile turned promising as he straddled Timo and rolled his hips in the way Timo loved dearly.

ØØØ

Jan stepped into Juri's room, shutting the door behind him carefully. He had left Juri asleep an hour before to go and get groceries with Timo and Frank, and was not about to wake Juri if he didn't have to. Jan crept to Juri's bed and climbed on. He was careful not to move the mattress under his slight weight but Juri's eyes opened anyways.

"Did I wake you?" Jan asked guiltily as Juri turned on his side and looked up at him.

"I was already awake. I've been awake since you left," Juri said as he wrapped an arm around Jan's small waist and tugged the DJ towards him. "That's better," he mumbled, closing his eyes again.

Jan smiled affectionately at the man he'd decided to share his life with. For so long, Jan had been scared to open up to anyone, even Timo, his closest friend, because he had been scared he would be hurt again.

Years had passed since Dierk, the boy who had taken Jan's heart in his hand and crushed it with his wanton drug use and callous words. They had been together barely a month before Dierk ended their relationship but Dierk had stayed at the edges of Jan's social group, appearing every now and again to soften Jan's heart and rip it open yet again. Jan had never fallen that hard for someone again until Juri. He had kept his guard up around the tall drummer for two and a half years, smiling back when Juri flirted with him but keeping a careful distance.

Juri had made Jan trust again, laying him open with the most intense care and love, refusing to let Jan ignore his feelings for the drummer, refusing to let the chance to be together slip away as Jan would have let it.

So Jan smiled down at his lover with the greatest affection and doting love. He curled up into Juri's familiar chest and laid an arm around Juri's thickened waist, and he slept.


	2. Teil 2

Second Trimester, Between 17 and 20 Weeks, Early August

"You, eat," Timo ordered, shoving the plate of sweet potatoes, ham, and broccoli in front of Linke.

Linke stuck his tongue out at the rapper, making David giggle. Juri straight up glared at Timo when Timo turned to him with another plate. Linke was duly impressed that Timo did not back down from the much, much taller man.

"I can feed myself," Juri muttered and grabbed the plate from Timo.

Juri sat down at the table with a _hrumph_, his scowl only softening when Jan smiled at him.

Linke was used to Timo's over protective attitude by now. The last three months had given him plenty of time to get used to it. Linke had been shocked when he had first realized that that over protectiveness extended beyond David and Jan. Linke had noticed that Timo had been snarky and oddly cold to Frank for almost a week after Linke admitted he was pregnant. Linke had been about to soundly chew the rapper out until David had taken him aside and asked quietly if Frank was supportive of Linke's decision to keep the baby. _That_ question and its implications had shattered Linke's world. Timo had been worried about _him_ on top of his own problems, so worried in fact that Timo would have had no problem ostracizing Frank from the rest of the band if he was not going to be behind Linke the whole way.

It made a part of Linke's hardened heart absolutely melt when he thought about it. It helped him to deal with the more annoying aspects of Timo's smothering, for example: his attempts to feed David, Linke, and Juri food that he himself had barely helped prepare. Frank had been more than amused to have Timo's 'help' in the kitchen.

ØØØ

"J-Jan, Jan," Juri gasped, his hands gripping the sheets beneath him hard enough to tear the threads apart. "Jan, something's wrong. Jan, wake up."

Jan grunted and turned over, his eyes opening to look at Juri. In a flash, he was up and leaning over Juri as his boyfriend gasped in terror. Juri's eyes were wide, his face pained, and his breathing shallow. Jan sprang off the bed and ran to the bathroom to get a towel. He soaked it in the sink and scampered back to wipe Juri's burning hot brow. Juri cried out in pain and bit the pillow underneath him as his body twisted in agony.

"Do you think it could be contractions?" Jan asked, biting his bottom lip as he mopped Juri's brow.

Juri gasped what might have been an answer but Jan couldn't understand it as panic began to flood through him. Juri cried out and writhed against the bed in obvious pain. His skin was flushed and hot to the touch, sweat beading up all over his skin. Jan whipped his phone out and dialed the doctor's number. He glanced at the digital clock by their bed. Three thirty a.m. Jan prayed the doctor was awake.

ØØØ

Jan tapped his foot frantically against the floor. Timo glanced at him but Jan couldn't calm down. They had driven Juri to the hospital where he had been taken away immediately. All the doctors and nurses would tell him was that Juri had entered shock and needed immediate attention. Jan was a shaking mess as he sat waiting.

He was not allowed to see Juri until the doctors had him stabilized, whatever that meant. Juri and Jan had no legal connection and Juri's dead grandmother would have had a better chance of entering the operating room than Jan right then.

The nurses running past with instruments and bags of medical fluids did nothing to reassure Jan. He watched them go in and out of the operating wing, the automatic doors opening when they slapped the buttons but no obvious clue as to which operating room they were entering or leaving.

Thirty minutes passed, then an hour with no information. Timo stood up and began to pace back and forth down the hallway as Jan beat a rapid staccato against the floor. Then, after almost two hours of waiting, a doctor emerged from the operating area. She glanced at the men and women waiting, stopping and speaking to each group of anxiety-ridden relatives and friends, and eventually made her way to Jan and Timo.

"Are you here for a Mr. Juri Schewe?" she asked.

Jan's head whipped up at Juri's name. The doctor looked at Jan and Timo sadly.

"Mr. Schewe is in critical but stable condition," she said slowly but with a crisp clarity. "We could not save the baby. The fetus' blood type was incompatible with the- father's- and the body rejected it, causing a fever and internal damage. It appears that Mr. Schewe received an Rh positive blood transfusion several years ago and developed antibodies that attacked the fetus, inevitably causing fetal death in utero. Mr. Schewe's body did not have the proper facilities to expel the fetus and an excess of waste materials led to a septic infection. It was all we could do to save Mr. Schewe's life."

Jan swallowed and nodded, looking down at the hospital floor.

"Can we see him?" Timo asked when Jan did not speak.

The doctor glanced at Jan, then Timo before answering.

"Mr. Schewe's under sedation at the moment but you can certainly go into his room now. It's room 327," she said. "It's down this hallway on the right, if you need me to take you there."

"We'll be able to find it," Timo said. "Thanks, though."

The doctor gave him a small smile and walked through the doors down the hall.

Timo turned to Jan, who looked about to vomit, and nudged his shoulder. Jan looked at him and closed his eyes, choking out a low sob as he laid his head against Timo's shoulder. Timo inhaled unsteadily and wrapped an arm around his friend. He rocked them back and forth slowly as tears flowed down Jan's cheeks.

"This is all my fault," Jan cried, his voice distorted with pain. "I knew he was A negative; I fucking knew, Timo, and it's my fault the baby was AB positive. Juri almost d-died because of me, cause I'm so stupid and selfish a-a-and I didn't think about what would happen if we-"

"Jan, you couldn't have known," Timo whispered. "None of us could've known."

"I should've asked for more tests. I should've asked the doctors' if this would happen but I didn't and Juri's almost-"

"Stop," Timo said firmly, running a hand over Jan's cheek and looking him in the eyes. "There's nothing you can do about it now so stop blaming yourself. Juri's going to be in a lot of pain when he wakes up and he's going to need you to be there for him so pull yourself together."

Jan shuddered but he nodded. Timo stood up and Jan copied him. They walked down the hallway to Juri's room together, Jan wiping his eyes on his sleeves and breathing shakily the whole way.

Juri was not awake when they got there. They waited, Timo pulling Jan to him, hugging the small DJ as he shook in place, tears coursing down his cheeks as he watched Juri.

When Juri woke up, Jan was sitting on the side of his bed. Jan took one of Juri's big, square hands in both of his own, covering it as he looked in Juri's bewildered eyes. Jan took a deep breath.

"The baby's gone," Jan said softly, squeezing Juri's hand.

Juri frowned and sat up a bit, wincing as his stomach muscles pulled at the stitches between his hips.

"What do you mean, the baby's gone?" Juri asked.

Jan looked down at the bed sheets covering Juri's waist, then back up into Juri's eyes. Juri sucked in a breath and shook his head slowly.

"No, that can't be true. You're lying!" he screamed, pulling his hand away from Jan. "The baby's here. The doctors have him. They have to have him. This can't be happening!"

"Juri, I'm sorry," Jan whispered, his eyes filling with fresh tears. "The baby was already dead inside you before we got here. You were so sick and the doctors had to save you-"

"You're lying!" Juri screamed again, his shoulders slumping as hot tears rolled down his cheeks. "You're lying, Jan," he cried as his body began to shake under his sobbing. "You have to be lying."

"I'm not. I'm sorry, Juri, I'm so sorry-"

Timo could not move from his place against the wall. Neither man noticed him there in their grief. Timo began to shake himself as he watched Juri pull Jan up onto the hospital bed into a tight embrace, their tears mingling upon their clothing as they cried together for what felt like hours. Timo did not know what to do. He stared silently as two of his best friends grieved for a child that would never be born, a child they had already named and created a place in their hearts for, a child they would never, ever see alive.

ØØØ

Two Days Later

"Timo."

Timo grimaced and turned from where he was spooned up to a still sleeping David. He blinked up at Jan leaning against the doorway uncertainly.

"What's up?" Timo asked, sitting up as he yawned hugely and scratched at his chest.

"I was thinking-" Jan said quietly, his eyes not meeting Timo's. "That it would be better if Juri and I…went away for awhile. Just because Juri can't- he can't be around here."

"You mean around David and Linke," Timo said, feeling a lump form in his throat when Jan flinched.

"I-" Jan's throat closed up around his words. "It's not like that- I- Juri-"

"We understand," David said, laying a hand on Timo's arm. Timo looked at him, his surprise sinking underneath his pain and understanding. He didn't want Jan to leave. Timo didn't know if his friend would ever come back and if he should, whether Juri would come with him. "Do what you need to do, Jan. If Juri needs to get away from us to heal, then so be it. Do you know where you'll go?"

Jan nodded. He lifted his chin to look at David, something he hadn't managed to do when talking to Timo.

"Juri's brother's house. He has room for him and he knows what's going on…"

"What about you?"

Jan shuddered.

"I'll take Juri there and then, we'll see," he said, his voice painfully tight and his red-rimmed eyes more than a bit wet. "Juri's more important; he's in so much pain right now…I have to take him away from here. I have to make sure he gets the help he needs. I have to make him better."

David nodded.

"Take care, Jan. Come back if you ever need a place to stay." Timo bit his lip at the finality of David's words but he could think of nothing better to say. "We'll always be here for you."

"Thank you," Jan said.

He left, pulling the door closed behind him. Timo took David in his arms and pressed his nose into David's soft hair, breathing in David's perfect scent. Timo held David there on their bed, stroking his long hair as he rocked them back and forth.

"Why did this have to happen?" David whispered, his fingers playing with Timo's necklace as he looked up into his lover's face.

"I don't know, Davii. Sometimes these things happen. That's life."

"They didn't deserve this," David said, pulling Timo's arms more firmly against him as though Timo could shelter him from Jan and Juri's misery with just his body.

Timo wished he could.

ØØØ

Late August

Juri hummed softly in his sleep. The bed was so warm and nice. Juri didn't want to move ever again; he just wanted to stay in this warm spot and sleep forever. He yawned and reached an arm out for Jan, wanting to feel his warm little body against his, his sweet little lips and his familiar bony ankles- Juri smiled to himself- Jan's cold little nose even.

Juri frowned when he felt nothing. He reached out again, searching- but the bed was empty. The spot where Jan should be was as warm as the rest of the bed. Jan wasn't there. There was only him. Juri sat up and opened his eyes slowly.

"Jan?" he called out, hoping Jan had gotten up to get a glass of sparkling water.

He looked around the room. Barely familiar bed sheets, barely familiar furniture, and no Jan.

Then Juri remembered. Jan was gone, just like Benjamin. Jan had left him because Juri had been too tired and too sad to be around him. But Jan wouldn't leave him, Juri told himself, Jan had to be somewhere close by.

Juri got up, pushing the bed sheets aside. He looked down at his clothes. They were the same ones he had been wearing every day for the last few days. How many days? How much time had passed while he lay in that bed in this room?

Juri didn't know.

He opened the door and walked out, bright light shining painfully into his eyes. He stumbled to the bathroom, remembering its place down the hall. This was his brother's house in Jever, the one Uwe had bought after he and Diane had broken up. Juri had been here last October when he and Jan had wanted to get away for a while. They had gone down to the Wattenmeer and walked along the mud beaches together. The water of the Nordsee had been icy, the _Schlamm_ slick and cool around their calves as they squelched through it. It was one of Juri's favorite memories.

Where was Jan?

Juri searched through the drawers under the bathroom sink for a comb. He found one and tugged it through his tangled hair. When had he last brushed it? Juri didn't know.

He put the comb down and peered at his face in the mirror. His eyes were a sore red, his nose and cheekbones hardly better. His hair looked like he hadn't touched it in weeks. His left cheek, the side he had slept on, was lined with the marks left by strands of his blonde hair.

Juri turned the faucet on and splashed cold water over his face. It did little to help: he still looked a terrific mess. Juri turned the faucet off and started up the water for a shower. He pulled his clothes off, first his shirt, then his sweatpants. He touched the water coming from the shower spray and decided it wasn't hot enough. Juri looked back in the mirror and caught his breath.

There, right between his hips, above his groin, was a long cut held together with tiny stitches. Juri pressed his fingers to it and bit his lip. So their baby was really gone.

Juri slid his fingers up, gingerly touching the soft swell of flesh across his stomach. Slight pain and a bit of bruising but those would certainly fade with time. No damage besides the obvious. He and Jan would just have to be careful when they…if they… if Jan hadn't given up on him…if Jan didn't hate him for their son…if Jan wanted anything to do with him…

Juri's stomach clenched. No, he couldn't think about that. Jan wouldn't leave him. Jan needed him, he did.

Didn't he?

Juri shook his head and stepped into the shower, letting the hot spray wash his hot tears and his doubts away.

ØØØ

Juri sat on Uwe's couch, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Caleb, Uwe's old basset hound woofed and wagged his tail, his long tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted happily. Juri grinned and scratched the dog's head.

Uwe had gone to work after Juri took his shower. He had been surprised to see Juri out of bed and had told him so. Juri had told him that he had felt it was time he did. Uwe had nodded and said that Jan would return around noon. Juri had been waiting for Jan ever since, pretending to watch TV until Jan got back.

Juri checked the clock. Twelve noon exactly. Juri straightened up in his seat. He pulled his long shirt and jacket down over the stitches on his stomach and pulled his pants up around his hips from where they had slid down while lazing around. Juri ran a hand over his hair to smooth it. He waited.

The front door finally opened at a quarter to one. Juri heard the clink of Jan's keys and Jan's shoes as he toed them off. Jan walked past the room and went on to the stairs.

"Jan."

Jan stopped. He turned around, a puzzled look on his face. He scanned the room until his eyes alit on Juri. His eyes widened.

"You're awake," Jan said, looking Juri up and down with the most longing-filled gaze. "That's good."

"Yeah," Juri answered back stupidly, his heart racing and his mouth suddenly dry. He had had a whole speech prepared, a long, perfectly worded speech that would tell Jan how much he loved him and how Jan could never leave him. Juri realized he had forgotten every word of it, like a blundering, love-struck teenager.

Jan dragged his lip between his teeth and sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry, Juri," he said. "I understand if you never want to see me again. I- I'll leave you alone, I promise. I'll go away. I'll quit Panik if you need me to. I'll move as far away as I can, I'll leave Germany so you never have to see me again."

Juri gaped at him. Jan thought he _blamed_ him? That he thought Jan had somehow caused this? Juri almost laughed at the preposterousness of Jan's words. Then he looked in Jan's eyes and realized he meant every word of it. Juri got up off the couch, tossing the blanket over Caleb who woofed and snuggled down, and walked over to Jan. He stopped less than a foot before Jan and looked down at him. Jan looked up miserably, his blue eyes filled with despair and his bottom lip trembling.

Juri snorted softly and pulled Jan into his chest, kissing his cheek tenderly.

"Don't be foolish, Jan," Juri said, laying a kiss on Jan's nose. "I still love you. I never stopped loving you."

"Really?" Jan asked, his eyes filled with a wretchedness that threatened to break Juri's heart.

Juri smiled.

"Really. I could never hate you."

"But it's my fault. I should have been more careful," Jan said, a single tear falling down his exhausted cheek. "I should have made the doctors take more blood samples and do more tests. They could've caught it in time and put you on medication. This is all my fault."

"Hush," Juri said, bringing Jan's shaking wrist to his lips and kissing it gently before winding Jan's arms around his neck. "We've cried enough. It's time to move on and start living again.

"I loved that child, Jan, because he was a part of you but I'd never have chosen him over you. You're so much more important to me. Now, no more tears," Juri murmured, wiping Jan's eyes with the pads of his broad thumbs. "I don't want you blaming yourself for this ever again."

Juri laid his chin on top of Jan's head, wrapping his small lover tightly in his arms. Juri carried Jan back to the couch. Caleb climbed off, his tail thumping against Juri's leg as he settled onto the floor. Juri kissed Jan again and pulled the blanket over them both. Jan sniffed and wiped his cheeks on his sleeves as Juri began to hum softly, reassuringly, in the way he would sometimes hum Jan to sleep when Jan was stressed or unhappy. As it always did, Juri's humming relaxed Jan and soon he dozed off in Juri's strong arms. It was the first time Jan had slept in three days.

Juri continued humming quietly for a long time as he held onto Jan. Yes, Juri had lost something dear to him, Jan's child, their Benjamin, but he knew he had been unbelievably lucky to have conceived at all, and that it was Jan who had given him that gift and not some other man, that their child had been conceived in love and not an emotionless instance between Juri and some man he would never see again, was the thought Juri clung to to lift himself out of the depression that tried to overwhelm him. What Juri had lost could never compare to what he would lose if he let Jan blame himself for Benjamin's death.

Even if it took everything in him, Juri would fight to keep Jan by his side. He would not let himself have the time to think about what might have been, what could have been, what would never be again, because Jan needed him as badly as Juri needed Jan. They would see this through; they had to, because Juri was never going to let Jan go.

ØØØ

Time passed in the band house as time does, that is to say it kept going without regard to mere human events. Jan and Juri's lives had not stopped with Benjamin's death and their friends moved forward as well.

It was after their Cesarean section dates were set that Timo realized Linke had been pregnant before either David or Juri, and he did not pause in laughing hysterically and collapsing against the practice room wall once he found out. Linke had scowled at him for his howling laughter which had only made Timo laugh harder.

"You're gonna get your ass handed to you on a plate when Jan hears about this," Timo howled, wiping at his eyes. "I can see it now: 'Chris's two and a half weeks before David? That fucking liar!'"

"Oh, shut up," Linke snapped.

He folded his arms over his huge belly- garnering even more laughter from Timo at the ridiculous-looking pose- and plopped back on the couch next to Franky, who smiled and put an arm around his shoulder. Frank was pretty oblivious to his band mates' conversation most of the time and today was per usual as the singer happily played with Linke's wispy hair. Frank was far more focused at the moment on Linke and improving his sulky mood with affectionate petting than on what Timo was ribbing him for.

"'No, Jan, I'm not pregnant; I'm just _thuper_ emotional';" Timo continued, doing a terrible impression of Linke's voice. "'Dude, your bun's in the fucking oven'; 'Oh, no! You're, like, totally right! Thanksth tho much, Jan!'"

"Shut the hell up, Timo," Linke snarled. "Unlike you, Jan's not a complete dickface. I doubt that's going to be the first thing he says to me when he and Juri get back."

"If they ever come back," Frank said.

The room went deathly quiet.

"Has anyone talked to either of them?" Linke asked quietly. "I thought you would have, Timo. To Jan, at least."

"He's not answering his phone," Timo said, his eyes clouding in guarded pain and worry. "You hear anything from Juri?"

Linke shook his head.

"No, nothing."

ØØØ

December

Jan watched, completely fascinated, as the anesthesiologist administered Linke's epidural. He had agreed to hold Linke's hand while the doctors performed the C-section (Linke had banned Frank from the operating room, certain that the fretful man would have an aneurysm if he saw their son being removed surgically) and he was overjoyed at the most basic level.

"This is going to be so sweet," he breathed to his friend.

Linke pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering when Jan had gone from intelligent DJ to ecstatic scientist. Surgery was not sweet, thank you very much. It was bloody and messy, with cold metal instruments and huge overhanging lights.

"If you don't shut up, man, I will make you take the bleeding placenta out yourself," Linke threatened as Jan started blathering on about horizontal incisions and suturing techniques.

"Really?!" Jan asked excitedly. "Ahh, that would be so cool, you have no idea! Do you really think they'd let me do that?"

Linke suppressed the urge to throttle Jan.

"Yes," he muttered sarcastically. "The doctor would love for some random hyperventilating bystander to cut into his patient. He's not at all worried about malpractice. Nope, not one bit, Jan."

In truth, Linke was not all that bothered by Jan's over excitability. It was classic Jan and Linke was more thankful than he cared to admit that Jan was acting like himself again. Juri was quiet and reserved but the drummer had been like that to one degree or another for as long as Linke had known him.

Jan and Juri had returned to the band house after being gone for a month and a half. Linke had been relieved to have his friends back again. Juri and Jan were still a couple and their grief was almost gone. Linke doubted that they would ever truly forget what had happened but they had each other and Linke could think of nothing better to save them from their pain.

On a much more selfish level, Linke was fucking glad that it was Jan at his side and not Frank or Timo. Frank would probably pass out from sheer anxiety and Linke was not in the mood to have the nuisance that was Timo and his fucking video camera in _his_ operating room. Good God, Timo could annoy David all he wanted when their time came. Linke was not going to have anyone watching 'Miracle of Life' videos with him as the lead actor. Fuck that shit.

"He paid me five Euro to ask you if you'd let him film anyway," Jan said, grinning. "He wants to give a copy to Frank as a gift."

Linke narrowed his eyes and threw his head back against the hospital pillows. The pillows crunched and Linke scowled.

"Would they just get on with it?" he grumbled. "This is taking way too damn long."

ØØØ

Frank entered the hospital room uneasily. The bright white walls were too sterile looking for his liking and the air was filled with chemicals. He looked at the empty cot in confusion.

"Christian?" he called out, wondering where his lover could be.

"He's over here," Jan called back, his blonde head popping out from behind the blue curtain dividing the room.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief and walked over there, trying not to seem too excited. Chris might snark at him if he was too wound up. Frank pushed the curtain aside, holding onto its plastic for a moment to steady his breathing.

He rounded the corner- and met Linke's stormy slate blue eyes. Frank's heart tightened as he walked over to Chris' side and looked down at the tiny red creature in Chris' arms.

"Can I…?" Frank asked.

Linke smiled and handed the infant over to Frank, adjusting Frank's hold to support the baby's tiny neck. Frank smiled and poked a finger into the infant's mouth, his smile turning brilliant when the baby began sucking it with surprising strength.

"It's a boy?" Frank asked, his voice hushed.

"Our boy," Chris smirked, amused by Frank's reverence over their child. Frank, his eyes on the baby, didn't notice. "Just like the doctors told us. Our Wolf."

"Our Wolf," Frank whispered. "Wolfgang Edmond Ziegler-Linke."

Frank glanced at Linke, then at the baby. Jan laughed and took the tiny boy from him. Frank put his arms around Chris' neck and hugged him tightly, kissing Chris' cheek hard. He pulled back, keeping one hand on Linke's shoulder and simply looked at him.

"I love you," Frank said.

Linke looked at Frank for a long moment, his smirk disappearing as they stared at each other. Then a small smile crept over his lips.

"I love you, too."

ØØØ

Emelyn's delivery was much more of an event than Wolf's had been. Jan was asked to take part in David's 'miraculous C-section delivery' and cheerfully declined after deliberately horrifying Timo with graphic descriptions of the surgery, after which he had been forced to come along, grinning the whole way. David's parents were overjoyed to be grandparents and had insisted on being there for David's delivery. There was still no explanation from the medical community as to how David, Linke, and Juri had become pregnant and Jan was beginning to doubt there ever would be. He for one knew that Juri's operation had included an emergency hysterectomy and that Linke had elected to do the same, though Franky had taken a hell of a lot longer than Juri to figure out why that might be necessary. Frank was never terribly quick on the uptake.

So Jan kicked back in the waiting room with Juri's arm around his shoulders and waited like the rest of David's family. Mrs. Bonk and Timo could figure it out between the two of them. It could even be considered bonding time, in Jan's opinion.

Emelyn Veronica Sonnenschein was born at nine fifteen in the morning on a Thursday to the happy couple of David Bonk and Timo Sonnenschein. She weighed in at nine pounds, four ounces and measured twenty inches at birth. Though Mrs. Bonk, David, and Timo all cooed over how beautiful she was (and by God, Jan would never let Timo live down the sound of him cooing to his newborn daughter), Jan noted that she looked like a wrinkly little hobgoblin. At least she had Timo's eyes.

ØØØ

Timo watched David's ass sway intoxicatingly as he carried their daughter over to her crib. David bent over and Timo found his mouth watering at the sight of David in his sweatpants. Four months of cuddling up to that ass and not being able to do a thing about it- Timo was definitely in the mood for something more than spooning with his best friend and bedmate.

When David turned back, tucking a strand of black hair behind his ear and smiling shyly back at him, his fat little belly poking out under his too small t-shirt, Timo couldn't help himself. He grabbed David by the waist- David let out a soft _oomph_ at the sudden gesture- and hauled him back to their bedroom where he wasted no time in kissing him soundly. David chuckled in amusement and parted his lips, gasping when Timo ground against him.

"Don't you think we should-?" David asked.

His words turned into hot whimpers as Timo pressed closer against him, his hardness plain against David's thigh. Timo's eyes were heavily-lidded and his voice husky with sex when he answered.

"Mmm, baby, I will make it worth your while if you stick around."

David giggled as Timo tackled him onto the bed and started tugging David's t-shirt up, his only goal being to get David naked as soon as he possibly could.

"You always do," David laughed.

ØØØ

Timo and David were somehow managing to have more sex than ever before, Linke noted as he helped Frank feed Wolf. The two of them openly abused Jan's volunteering to babysit to have a 'night in' as Timo seemed completely fascinated with the changes David's pregnancy had wrought on the guitarist's body. They had known for years that Timo had been bothered by David's poor diet and rail thin figure and it seemed now that Timo had his Davii at a healthy enough weight, he was intent on using every minute he could to get used to it. David had protested at first but had given in for rather obvious reasons.

Linke wasn't jealous. Frank was more than busy with Wolf and Linke had never been that keen on hard-core fucking in the first place, at least not with the rabbit-like intensity of David and Timo. Frank was much, much more satisfying with his ways. Linke smiled to himself as he thought about that.

No, he wasn't jealous of them at all, screwing like heathens while other people were in the house. Loud as anything, those two were. Frank certainly had never gotten _them_ caught by screaming his name like a dying person across the whole upstairs.

"I made _Kirschtorte_ for dessert," Frank said.

Linke grinned and tilted his chin up to collect a quick kiss from Frank. Frank's excellent baking was another plus.

"I even mashed some up so Wolf and Emelyn could have some."

"That's not healthy," Linke said, though his eyes danced with easy mirth.

"I don't care," Frank said, smiling one of the broad smiles that had made Linke fall in love with him. "They deserve to celebrate, too."

Jan had proposed to Juri six weeks before and tomorrow they would be going to the _Standesamt_, the registrar's office, for their civil ceremony after which they were catching the train to Frankfurt and flying out to Toulon for a week alone together. All six members of Panik were planning to attend the ceremony with Timo and Juri's brother standing as the official witnesses. Linke had been expecting the engagement ever since Juri's scare in August. He knew if he had been in Jan's place, he would've wanted a much more secure hold on Juri. Standard hospital procedures had a tendency to force people to think about things they never wanted to consider.

Linke laughed and bounced Wolf on his knees, the baby squealing happily up at his father. He was still cheerfully bald, chubby as anything with big blue eyes framed by the longest eyelashes, and Linke couldn't have loved him more. Wolf wasn't the sweetest child- he could scream pretty damn loud when he wanted to- but he was a happy little blob content to sit on anyone's lap and simply burble up at them.

Linke was happy, he had to admit, happier than he had been in a long time. He had his work and he had his friends, and he had Wolf to love and care for. But, more importantly, he had Frank, who had stood by him through one of the toughest hurdles Linke could have imagined. Frank hadn't wavered, he hadn't backed down. In fact, the minute Linke let him know he was in trouble, Frank had been right there, loving him for no reason at all. Frank had proved a thousand times over that he would never leave Linke, not for anything. Chris was happy.


End file.
